Top Management - Chapter 167

Chapter 167

Chapter 167: Making Film, The Sky was Raining with Bait (4)

TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir

“One didn’t turn off? Why did I forget to turn that off?”

Only one video was playing in the corner of the TV .

Seeing this, Im Seoyoung’s reaction was a simple question . However, once the video began filling the screen, Im Seoyoung began to become flustered . Not knowing that a camera was rolling, Im Seoyoung freely moved around the living room .

She looked back at me with wide eyes . They were trembling .

“What is it, oppa? Why is that still playing? Did something go wrong in editing? Is it a broadcast accident?”

“No way . Producer Yoo spent all night editing this part . ”

“Huh? Why would she when I’m the only one… What did I do that day?”

She mumbled the date as though she was trying to recall what she did .

During this time, the Im Seoyoung on TV pressed the remote . The same TV turned on in the screen . It was a rerun of Royal Family . It was a scene with Lee Songha’s character, Lee Sohee the sassy top star .

The Im Seoyoung in reality jolted up from her spot . Then she shook me since I was holding the remote .

“Le-let’s watch something else!”

“We need to monitor this . It’s only begun . ”

“We don’t have to watch this part! It’s harmful! Oppa, save me!”

“You’re alive . ”

“Snake! So coldhearted! You have no sympathy!”

Giving up on convincing me, Im Seoyoung looked at the other members . She looked like she wanted to get them on her side, but the three of them were happily watching the TV . Im Seoyoung grabbed Lee Songha’s shoulders .

“Let’s go, Songha! I’ll buy you braised pigs’ feet!”{1}

“Braised pigs’ feet?”

Lee Songha’s eyes shined .

“Yeah, pigs’ feet!”

“I already ordered that . Why is it taking so long?”

Im Seoyoung stomped her feet at my words .

“Damn it! If you’re going to watch it, you’ll have to step over me!”

Spreading her arms out like a stingray, she rushed towards the TV . Then she was dragged back in three seconds . LJ had grabbed her back . She instantly rolled her on the rug and sat on her . She was like a pro-wrestler .

Im Seoyoung whined as she hit the rug .

The TV speakers began playing Im Seoyoung’s voice .

{How can you not recognize me because I’m wearing sunglasses? Are you blind? My chest, legs, and even my toes scream Lee Sohee! Do you think there’s such a work of art anywhere else? Look! Look at me!}

It was Lee Sohee’s line .

Royal Family’s scene with Lee Sohee showed up as a reference as the broadcast continued to show Im Seoyoung following her lines . She even lifted her smooth legs up with such vigor and began wiggling her toes .

Her legs were elegant, and her terrible acting skills exceeded the realm of arts .

She followed a few more of Lee Sohee’s lines before fanning herself . Maybe it was because she put her all into acting or because she was embarrassed by Lee Sohee’s lines, but her round face had become red .

Im Seoyoung, currently sat on by LJ, hastily made an excuse .

“I just tried it to see what it felt like!”

At the same time, the same voice resounded out the speakers .

{This is much harder than Cat Guardian Ghost . I wonder if she kept any of the Alive scripts?}

“Don’t do this to me! Just let me die in peace!”

Im Seoyoung wailed .

Lee Songha shuffled on her knees and approached her .

“Unni, I have a lot of Alive scripts…”

“No! That’s not it… Ahhhh!”

Im Seoyoung flailed her limbs crazily . The Im Seoyoung on TV brought out a stack of papers and a notebook from her room . The papers were sheet music .

The Im Seoyoung in reality stretched her trembling hand towards Lee Taehee .

“Uh, unni, why don’t we turn the TV off and have some beer?”

“Seoyoung . ”

“I’ll be a great drinking friend today . ”

“I can’t hear the TV . ”

Lee Taehee, who sat up properly before anyone knew, said,

“It’s cute . ”

“No! Unni, your words have no credibility!”

“Why?”

“You’re an old grandpa who’ll chuckle at whatever your grandchild does!”

Im Seoyoung despaired as she buried her head in her hands .

At this time, the Im Seoyoung on TV was drawing musical notes in her notebook . She was writing a song . She became so immersed in it that she even skillfully dancing to it, but it was putting pearls on a pig . Her song was more suited for a children’s dance routine .

The show then showed Lee Taehee working in W&U’s producer’s room .

It then returned back to Im Seoyoung, She nodded her head in satisfaction after finishing her song .

{It’s not bad . I think it’s quite good even . }

Next, she put rings on her ten fingers, which she doesn’t do normally, as she ran around the room rapping . Producer Yoo Sooyoung heartlessly inserted a scene of LJ rapping as well .

The real Im Seoyoung flopped on the floor .

If they took out all the inserted scenes, Im Seoyoung’s one-man show didn’t last long, but it was more than enough to wear her out . Im Seoyoung was covering her face while LJ sat on her .

LJ tickled her by lightly poking her sides .

“Hey, you look like you have fun alone? So that’s why you don’t go out often . ”

“Don’t talk to a corpse, you hoodlum . ”

Im Seoyoung said gloomily as she pushed LJ away . LJ allowed herself to be pushed off . Im Seoyoung got up and glanced at the TV . The screen had changed to show the Pretty Girls members .

Like she was seeing a retreating enemy, Im Seoyoung let out a sigh of relief .

“How are the reactions, oppa?”

“They’re good . ”

I immediately answered .

The majority of the posts that viewers uploaded while watching the broadcast was positive . The broadcast maintained the image that they were a talented girl group by showing inserts of Lee Taehee, Lee Songha, and LJ while showing Im Seoyoung off in an entertaining way .

There were quite a few posts asking who she was .

Whenever they popped up, fans replied that she was ‘Im Seoyoung’ .

Im Seoyoung shrugged her round shoulders .

“That’s good then . ”

“You looked like you were about to die just moments ago though?”

LJ asked .

“Would you have wanted to show your dark past in front of your members?!”

Im Seoyoung shouted before quickly laughing .

“Well, that’s that . Viewers’ reactions are the most important . It’s wonderful if the viewers enjoyed it and our popularity increases . I’m been in charge of Neptune’s entertainment appearances for four years now, you know? Do you think I’m the type to get shocked by a hidden camera? My job’s making people laugh . ”

She calmly said before glancing at me .

“Still, you should have told me! So that I could prepare my heart before watching it!”

“Sorry, I wanted to, but I had my reasons . ”

“Reasons?”

Im Seoyoung asked in surprise .

“Also, your job wasn’t to make people laugh . ”

“Huh?”

“Your role . It wasn’t to make people laugh this time . ”

“Then what was it?”

“Hmm, moving their hearts?”

I said in a quiet voice . Then I turned my gaze . Im Seoyoung’s surprised gaze followed mine . The TV showed the living room once more . Im Seoyoung was hurriedly cleaning with her phone against her ear .

{Pretty Girls are coming? But I’m the only one home right now . }

Seeing this, Im Seoyoung’s face became pale .

*

I watched the screen .

I roughly knew what was going to happen because Producer Yoo Sooyoung told me . However, that was it . I didn’t see the recording or checked the edited content .

I still didn’t know what exactly happened that day .

On screen, Im Seoyoung put her all in cleaning after hanging up her phone call with me . Soon, the doorbell rang . The visitors were obviously the Pretty Girls members . Although they had met a couple times before, their expressions were stiff as though it was a bit awkward for them to meet their sunbae .

{These are side dishes my mom sent over . I heard that you also lived in a residence so she sent us our share and two more . Umm, if you plan on eating, you…}

Oh Yeondu handed her an eco-friendly bag .

Im Seoyoung readily accepted it .

{That’s great! We have a food god here so these will be eaten really quickly! Sit down and have some drinks . We have a lot here . Although I don’t know where they are, there should definitely be some if we look around . }

{Can we even though it’s not a filming day for us? There are cameras . }

{I turned all the cameras off so it’s fine!}

Im Seoyoung invited the girls in with a bright smile .

The next scene was a tearful one . Maybe hearing that the cameras were off made them relax or Im Seoyoung’s warm, friendly attitude warmed their hearts, but they each held a roll of toilet paper as they cried and hiccuped .

Then, frightened, Im Seoyoung comforted them .

{What’s wrong? Huh? Don’t cry . You’re going to make me cry!}

{I’m so-wwy . I keep thinking about it after hearing what you said…!}

{We’ll be going now . Sorry . }

{Hey, hey! How can you go like this? You need to stop crying first . Wh-what did you think about?}

Im Seoyoung sat the girls, who were getting up while sobbing, back down .

{Mean comments? Were there mean comments in articles?}

{N-no . That’s not it . It’s because of the dregs . }

{What? Dregs? What do you mean?}

Yoon Sol replied, but it wasn’t a human language .

Oh Yeondu and Lee Hwain looked at each other before barely managing to continue .

{The president said that to us . That only the dregs remained . }

{What could he do with them?}

{We are trying hard to prove that we aren’t dregs, but we keep thinking about those words all of a sudden sometimes . Even though something incredible is happening, even though my mom and the chief have high hopes for us, I’m scared we’ll disappoint them . }

{It looks like Jae unni isn’t returning because she doesn’t want to be in the same team as us . }

{Don’t talk about Jae unni! It makes me want to see her…!}

Although I called them goldfish as a joke, they were really about to turn the house into an aquarium .

Oh Yeondu rubbed her tear-covered face with tissues .

{Sorry . You tell us a lot of good things and help us, but we are making you troubled by crying . We’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again . We’ll work harder to be more like you… So you’re my role model…!}

Listening to their gibberish, Im Seoyoung bit her lip .

Her eyes, which seemed like they could cry at any moment after sympathizing with the girls, became clear .

{You aren’t dregs . I’m very envious of you . }

{Huh?}

{Sunwoo oppa personally went to get you . That’s really something I envy . I’ve never had that happen to me . Our company sent Sunwoo oppa to us, and I was fortunate enough to be in that team . }

The Pretty Girls members were taken aback, and their mouths were agape .

Although it was slightly teary, she tried to keep her voice calm as she continued,

{Sunwoo oppa persuaded Songha to try acting and read the script with her overnight . After hearing Taehee unni’s unfinished song, he worked all night and pushed for it to be the title track . I tried all sorts of things, but nothing never happened to me . }

Im Seoyoung coughed awkwardly .

Then she curled up and placed her chin on her knees .

{I’m not confident all day like LJ, and I quietly read the mood . }

{S-sunbae, you’re really great at dancing, singing, and do well on entertainment shows! When Neptune was unknown, you went to various entertainment shows…!}

{That was in the past . But right now, I’m sort of stuck in the middle . }

Im Seoyoung rubbed her neck .

{Other members get personal schedules on their own, but Sunwoo oppa has to look around to schedule mine . If you are the dregs of Pretty Girls, then I’m the dregs of my team right now . }

{N-no, you’re not! I think you are amazing!}

Tears now gone from their eyes, the Pretty Girls members waved their hands in denial .

Seeing them not know what to do, Im Seoyoung smiled slightly .

{It’s good if you thought that way . It’s was worth working hard like a swan . {2}}

{Sunbae…}

{Anyways, if you think about being called dregs, then think about me . Although I’m like this inwardly, after working so hard, I got hoobaes like you who consider me as their role model . So don’t miss this chance and continue working hard . }

Im Seoyoung smiled brightly again .

Her voice was bright but also slightly sad .

{Once some time passes, things will get better for you . }

The gazes glued to the screen turned around .

It wasn’t just me . We were all looking at Im Seoyoung .

Amidst our gazes, Im Seoyoung lifted her pale face .

{1} Common staple in Korea, commonly eaten at night and/or with alcohol .

{2} Referring to how we only see the grace and poise of a swan swimming in a lake and not all the hard work their webbed feet put into swimming .